DIY Stained Glass Candle Holder Crafts

Learn how to make colorful faux stained glass candle holders with this easy step-by-step glass art craft tutorial.

Faux-stained glass candle holders are beautiful, hand-painted crafts that kids and adults can create, featuring vibrant, colorful designs that resemble real stained glass. Creating realistic stained glass effects with glass paint on glass candle holders is a simple yet effective technique that yields gorgeous results. Faux stained glass candle holders, made using the steps outlined below, provide a creative and accessible way for craft enthusiasts of all ages to introduce the vibrant, light-filtering beauty of stained glass into their homes without requiring specialized equipment or materials.

Creating realistic stained glass square votives, similar to those shown in the photograph below, is a simple way to craft beautiful pieces of glass art that make lovely DIY decor and a unique, homemade gift idea that even kids can make. However, there are several more creative ideas you can use to make stained glass candle holders utilizing this method, as well as tea-light and votive options beyond the square candle holders shown in this craft tutorial. You can even upcycle heat-resistant tempered glass containers from the recycling bin to create beautiful stained glass art that can be used as a candle holder. Scroll down to learn more! For more creative candle holder craft ideas, look at this list of hand-painted candle holder ideas even kids can make.

Easy Stained Glass Candle Holder Craft Project Tips and FaQ’s

Creating stained glass effects is a delightful way to decorate square votives and other heat-resistant glass jars, bottles, and containers. Applying glass paint to glass containers makes them ideal for use as candle holders. This DIY project allows for a wide range of artistic expression because you can fashion these pieces of colored glass art in thousands of ways. For example, I upcycled the colored glass square votives you see in the photographs for this post. 

Initially, I purchased the square glass votives, converted into faux stained glass, pictured in this post, to decorate the tables at my husband’s and my DIY wedding in 2012. (Creating these stained glass candle holders for a wedding would also be a perfect fit.) Since then, I’ve come up with several creative ways to upcycle and reuse these candle holders, including turning them into stained glass art.

This craft tutorial provides just one of the many DIY candle holder ideas my daughter and I have come up with to redesign over 100 candle holders, before giving them to family and friends. Another way to reuse them is to use the same craft materials needed for this project to turn them into personalized candle holders. A few more brilliant ways to decorate and reuse square glass votive candle holders are listed at the bottom of this post. 

Alternatively, you can use a heat-safe glass bottle or jar instead of votives to make a stained glass candle holder:

Another great idea is to upcycle glass bottles, jars, and other containers from the recycling bin for this stained glass candle holder project. Or use a small glass or mason jar. Just make sure the glass is heat-safe or tempered so it doesn’t break when it gets hot if you plan to use it as a candle holder.

Please ensure the glass is heat-resistant:

Candle holders get hot when a candle is lit inside, and glass can break due to overheating or thermal shock. Using heat-safe glass to make candle holders prevents the glass from cracking, shattering, or even exploding when exposed to the heat of the flame. Each of these potential hazards presents a fire hazard, so please ensure the glass is heat-safe before using it as a candle holder.

Most regular glass jars and ordinary household bottles are not resistant to heat, and therefore should not be used to make a candle holder. Check for labels that indicate the glass is tempered, oven-safe, or microwave-safe to determine if it is heat-resistant before using it as a candle holder. However, please be aware that while heat-resistant glass is designed to withstand breaking when exposed to heat, prolonged exposure to high heat or improper use can cause damage and ultimately become a fire hazard.

Add a touch of color to any room with Faux stained glass:

No matter what type of heat-safe container you use or the design you create on DIY stained glass candle holders. This faux-stained glass craft is guaranteed to add a touch of warmth and color to any room. These beautiful designs add a soft, glowing light to any space. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a beginner looking for a fun and rewarding project, making faux stained glass candle holders is a fantastic way to explore your creativity while producing beautiful, functional art.

Learn more about glass paint projects with the frequently asked questions below. Or, scroll past the remaining FAQs to learn how to make a stained glass votive candle holder with the step-by-step instructions in the next section. You might also enjoy making Sea Glass DIY Wind Chimes.

How do you color glass candle holders?

If you have ever wondered how to color glass or what kind of paint to use on glass candle holders to change the color, glass paint is the best choice. Painting glass with glass paint is a simple way to color or dye glass of any kind, including candle holders! Especially if you want to create specific designs with multi-colored details or add color to a small area.

What is glass paint?

Glass paint is a specialized type of paint specifically designed for use on glass and other non-porous surfaces. It is formulated to adhere well to glass, providing a durable and often translucent finish that mimics the look of stained glass when light passes through it. Using glass paint enables the creation of personalized designs that can transform ordinary glass items and even plastics into stunning works of art.

Glass paints come in various types, including solvent-based, water-based, and acrylic, each offering distinct qualities in terms of opacity, drying time, and ease of use. The glass paint recommended for this project does not require baking. However, care must be taken when washing an item with glass paint on it. Therefore, avoid placing glass projects painted with it in the dishwasher.

It’s also important to be aware that these glass paints can fade when placed in direct sunlight for an extended period. The heat from candles over time can also cause the colors to fade a bit, although not as much as the sun. However, repainting them every so often to replace the bright hues is a quick and easy process.

How to Make a Stained Glass Candle Holder the Easy Way:

If you’ve ever asked how to make a stained glass candle holder, you’ll love this simple stained-glass candle holder hack. By using readily available supplies such as glass jars, square votives, liquid leading (or a raised black outline), and glass paint, individuals can craft personalized and colorful candle holders that mimic the intricate patterns and glowing ambiance of traditional stained glass. 

Using glass paint to create the look of stained glass is a simple process. The unique formulation of glass paint enables it to create effects that are difficult to achieve with regular paints, making it a popular choice for projects involving glass. This makes glass paint an excellent art medium for various crafts and DIY projects, including decorating windows, vases, jars, and candle holders, such as the colored glass square votives shown in this post and the collection of DIY candle holder ideas —> HERE. 

It’s easy to use glass paint in conjunction with the lead-free liquid liner or outliner, but just like creating real stained glass, it can be time-consuming. It takes a bit of time to allow the liquid (lead-free) leading or outliner to dry thoroughly on votive holders before adding glass paint. Click here for another stained glass candle holder craft project that uses glass paint without liquid lead, if you want to make a quicker candle holder craft.

Scroll down for step-by-step instructions on how to create DIY stained glass candle holders, similar to those shown in the photographs. With that said, you are not limited to the few designs demonstrated in this tutorial. For example, instead of the lines and swirling designs shown in the photographs, you can create other interesting designs with the liquid leading or black outliner to fill in with glass paint. The only limits are those of your imagination!

Faux Stained Glass Candle Holder Craft Supplies:

• Warm soapy water, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel.
• Glass candle holders
  • 3-inch square votives are shown in the photographs, but you can also use 4-inch or 5-inch cubed glass votive candle holders for this stained glass art project.
  • Alternatively, you can use a tempered mason jar, or another recycled heat-safe glass bottle, or container.
• Glass paint.
• Liquid leading or outliner.
  • Alternatively, you can use black glue by mixing a small amount of black acrylic paint into a small bottle of white glue as instructed in this art project.
• Paintbrush set.
• Painting smocks for kids or an adult art apron (optional).
• Quality beeswax tealight candles or votive candles.
  • These will complete the gift or DIY home decor.
  • Alternatively, you can fill stained glass votives and other candle holders with incense cones.
• Decorative sand to cover the bottom of the candle holder, allowing for easy reuse.

Related: Tons of Fun Arts and Crafts for Kids and Teens

Step-by-Step Stained Glass Candle Holder Craft Photo Tutorial:

Look at the photos in the tutorial below to see each step of this glass paint craft process in action. Complete step-by-step instructions are provided below the photo tutorial. I drew the liquid lead outlines for each of the candle holders shown in the photographs, and invited my preschool daughter to fill them in with the glass paint colors of her choice. As you can see, painting with glass paint between lines of liquid leading is as easy as coloring. If my preschooler can do it, so can you! Please be aware that some colors may appear differently when dry.

How to Make Faux-Stained Glass Candle Holders: Step-by-step DIY Craft Project tutorial

This faux stained glass project is not something I recommend doing all at once. It is beneficial to allow sufficient drying time for the liquid (lead-free) leading outline before adding glass paint, as outlined in the directions below.

If you are assisting a young child, like I was, I recommend breaking the project into bite-sized steps that you tackle over several days. My preschool daughter and I spent ten to fifteen minutes painting the colored glass candle holders shown in the photographs over several days. In other words, we did not paint them all at once. Instead, we painted one side at a time by working on the project for a short time over several days. We did this for two primary reasons. First, the project’s materials and nature are better served with ample drying time between each step in the process.

The second reason we worked on this project in short stints was due to the age of my daughter at the time. Staying focused and working on a project for an extended period is not something most toddlers and preschoolers are capable of. Each step is quick and easy, but there can be a lot of downtime to wait for drying if you choose to work on one side at a time, as we did. So, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to complete this project if you plan to give it as a gift, especially if you are painting candle holders with your children or students.

These easy DIY candle holder crafts make lovely home decor and an excellent handmade gift idea for children or adults to make. You might also enjoy this list of DIY gifts kids can make for parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, and friends.

1. Clean the glass with water and soap or rubbing alcohol:

• Use warm, soapy water, rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel, along with a washcloth, rag, or cotton ball, to clean the surface of the glass candle holder (bottle, jar, or another container you want to transform into a candle holder).
• How to clean glass before painting it:
  1. First, wash with warm, soapy water, or dampen a cloth or cotton ball with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel.
  2. Next, wipe the glass with the damp rag or cotton ball to clean and dry it.

2. Create a pattern with liquid leading on the Candle Holder:

• Use liquid leading or black glass paint outliner to make lines and designs on the glass in any way you like.
  • In the photographs, you can see that my daughter and I created one candle holder with straight lines and another with wavy lines. However, there are thousands of ways to use liquid lead, a black outline pen, or black glue to create raised designs on the glass before adding color.
• A few more design ideas you can try are painting a heart outline on one of the glass sidewalls of a square votive, a heart on each side of the candle holder, or several hearts on each glass wall. You can even personalize them!
• Or, use the leading to outline a sun, flower, butterfly, ladybug, bunny, rainbow, fish, sailboat, your favorite team logo, or any other simple design you can think of.
• Younger artists will most likely need an adult’s assistance to complete this step.
• Allow 12-48 hours drying time:
  • Unless you are an advanced artist or crafter, I recommend waiting for both the liquid leading or outline and the glass paint between the sides to dry separately, unless you are only working on one side of a square votive. Or a glass paint project with only one design on it.

Two Reasons I recommend giving ample drying time for glass paint projects:

• It’s a lot easier to paint with glass paint on a flat surface. Laying the votive (candle holder, glass jar, or bottle) on one side, as shown in the photo tutorial below, makes it easier to draw lines or create a design with the leading or outliner, as illustrated in the photo tutorial that follows these instructions.
• Laying it down and allowing it to dry face up also makes it possible to add a thick layer of glass paint to the candle holder craft. This will enable the creation of a candle holder that resembles real stained glass, as illustrated in the photo below.

3. Complete stained glass art by painting the candle holder with glass paint:

• Complete the design on each candle holder by painting it with glass paint. This will look different depending on your design. Follow the general guidelines below:
  • Paint between the leading lines or outline previously added to the candle holders to fill in the design as shown in the photo tutorial below.
  • Add paint to a simple design, such as a heart, by dabbing glass paint in a thick layer to fill it in.
  • Some designs may require painting both the inside and outside of the glass candle holder, depending on the project’s intended outcome or personal preference. However, painting the outside alone is usually more than sufficient.
• Glass paint needs to be applied thickly, or it’s hard to see.
  • This is usually not a problem if you have children helping you, as I did, because they tend to load their brushes with too much paint — lol! Which, for this project, is perfect!
• Please note that some colors may appear differently when dry.
• Allow time for each coat to dry between applications for optimal results.

4. Put a candle in the stained glass votive:

• Once the stained glass votive has had time to dry, place a quality tea light candle, votive candle, or even an incense cone inside to complete the DIY home decor or gift.
  • This colored glass votive craft also makes a great remote control caddy. My husband loves the stained glass candle holder his daughter made him by his side when it’s movie time; otherwise, he loses the volume control!
• When choosing a candle, I recommend using a beeswax tealight in a metal cup or filling the bottom with decorative sand to make them easy to clean and reuse. Otherwise, the candles will melt and cover the bottom, which makes the candle holders challenging to clean and reuse.
  • I also recommend using beeswax candles over paraffin wax due to their numerous health benefits.
  • Research has proven that beeswax candles emit negative ions when burned, which can help purify the air by neutralizing pollutants, reducing allergens and dust, and promoting overall respiratory health, unlike paraffin candles. They are also shown to improve mood.
• Light candles not only because they emit a warm, subtle, and colorful glow, but also to derive the health benefits mentioned above.

Homemade Stained Glass Candle Holder crafts

Creating the look of stained glass with glass paint on glassware yields a beautiful result. These unique candle holders make fantastic gifts that even kids can make! Explore more hand-painted candle holder ideas here or scan the list of crafts below.

You might also enjoy this beautiful collection of handmade gifts and creative ideas kids can make. Ideas include DIY projects that even teens and adults will enjoy. For more gift-giving ideas, check out our Ultimate Gift Guide with DIY and Readymade Ideas for the Whole Family!

First published on November 21, 2017, this faux stained glass craft project is regularly updated to improve the content. Learn more about Nell Regan Kartychok, author and photographer of this DIY tutorial, HERE, and Rhythms of Play HERE!

How to prevent the candle glass from going black or sooting:

To prevent the candle and the glass from getting black or sooty, trim the candle wick to 1/4 inch before each use, avoid drafts, and extinguish the flame properly. It’s also best to allow the candle to burn long enough to melt the entire top layer on the first burn. Doing so will help the candle burn evenly, preventing tunneling and reducing the amount of soot.

Avoiding drafty locations can also reduce soot. Drafts cause a flickering flame, which can increase soot due to incomplete combustion. To avoid candle sooting, it’s best to keep a burning candle away from open windows, fans, and vents.

Another way to prevent sooting is to extinguish a candle using a candle snuffer or a lid. Blowing out a candle often results in the release of soot-filled black smoke and a smoldering wick, both of which contribute to increased soot production that will leave the candle and glass with black stains.

Choosing a high-quality candle made with natural waxes, such as the beeswax candles recommended in the supplies above, or candles made with soy or coconut wax, can also help prevent blackening of the candle or glass. Chep candles usually contain waxes and additives that produce more soot.

How to remove black soot:

To remove soot from a candle or the surrounding glass, it must first be extinguished and allowed to cool completely. Next, use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe the soot away. White vinegar or rubbing alcohol can be effective in helping remove stubborn spots.

Colored Glass Paint Candle Holder Ideas that look like Stained Glass

• Hand Painted Candle Holders
• Fingerprint Flower Candle Holder Crafts
• Candle Holder Craft Painted with a Heart
• Personalized DIY Heart Candle Holders
• Candle Holder Crafts Painted with Hearts
• Mother’s Day Candle Holder Ideas
• Father’s Day Candle Holder Ideas

DIY Gift Ideas:

• Gifts Kids Can Make
• All Season Hand and Fingerprint Tree
• DIY Projects for Do-It-Yourself Families